Mary V. McLean

MCLEAN, Mary Owen Van Hoose, 100, of Ashland, Va., passed away on May 8, 2019. She was preceded in death by her husband of 70 years, Dr. James H. McLean, who died in 2013. She is survived by her three children, James H. McLean Jr. (Lorena), Donald M. McLean (Judy) and Janet McLean. She is also survived by her granddaughter, Lauren (Rollin) Sterritt. She was a longtime member of First Baptist Church of Ashland.

Mary was born on October 20, 1918, in Cuba, Ala., to Alfred and Flora Van Hoose, and she was the oldest of four children. She attended Judson College and graduated from Livingston State Teachers College, both in Alabama. She and James were married in 1942 while he was stationed with the U.S. Navy in San Diego, Calif. A longtime teacher, Mary began her teaching career in Coffeeville, Ala., during WWII. She later received her master’s degree in deaf education from the University of Tennessee and began a career for a number of years teaching deaf children in several counties in east Tennessee and southwest Virginia. Mary was active in various churches throughout the southeast, involved in numerous projects and missions, as well as teaching. She worked tirelessly with the Dover Baptist Association to mentor and spread its ministries throughout Virginia. Mary loved writing poetry, and often crafted a specific poem to fit the needs of friends and family members.

The family will receive friends on Saturday, May 11, 2019, from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. at First Baptist Church of Ashland, 800 Thompson St., Ashland, Va. 23005. Services will begin at 12 p.m., with interment to follow in Signal Hill Memorial Park in Hanover. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to First Baptist Church of Ashland.